Gear Talk, Mic Drops, & Zen Koans with Flylow’s Dan Abrams (Ep.162)
Flylow founder (and certified gear nerd) Dan Abrams is back to talk about the skis and ski boots he’s interested in for the coming season; Flylow’s mountain bike apparel; and what’s new in the Flylow lineup for Winter 21/22.
Your Questions, Our Buyer’s Guide, & Luke’s Cry for Help (Ep.161)
Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth answer listener gear questions; share some info about our new winter buyer’s guide; and Luke shares with us some good news, but also presents new reasons for us to worry about him.
Shop Talk: Spokane Alpine Haus (Ep.160)
We talk with Rachel and Drew Harding, the owners of the Spokane Alpine Haus, about the ski scene in Spokane, Washington; the Alpine Haus’ massive equipment leasing program; interesting ways to destroy skis; kid’s gear; and more.
Blister Summit Panel on Ski Design (Ep.159)
We are airing the panel session on ski design that we held at the Blister Summit. We talk to the designers behind the skis from Blizzard, Folsom Custom Skis, Rossignol, Dynastar, and Wagner Custom Skis to get their respective design philosophies; discuss current trends in ski design; debate whether skis are being dumbed down today; determine once and for all whether stated sidecut radius numbers are fake; & more.
A Very Deep Dive on Coffee (Ep.158)
You had to know we’d do this, right? We sat down with Sam Higby to talk about Sam’s time in the outdoor industry and in the coffee business; the difference between good and bad instant coffee; light roasts vs. dark roasts (and what some dark roasts have in common with hot sauce or double IPAs); the brewing process & brewing at altitude; how to make great coffee on a budget; and more.
The Pro’s Gear: Chris Davenport (Ep.157)
Chris Davenport walked over to Blister HQ from Aspen to talk about how he thinks about ski gear and his own personal preferences. We also discuss monoskiing; which gear he is most and least picky about; ski width; mount points; weight; and whether Shane McConkey would be into these GEAR:30 conversations.
Andrew Alexander King’s Denali Expedition & the Gear He Used (Ep.156)
Andrew Alexander King tells us about his experience on Denali and some of the most important gear he used.
Sam Shaheen’s Denali Expedition & the Gear He Used (Ep.155)
This spring, Sam Shaheen and friends took on the very big challenge of a Denali expedition. So on GEAR:30 we get the debrief from Sam, discuss what he and his crew learned in the process, and go over some of the most important gear he used (including a homemade unicorn nose guard), and of that gear, what worked well and what didn’t.
Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 5: WaveCel (Ep.154)
We talk to the co-founder of WaveCel, and discuss the origins & development of WaveCel; Dr. Madey makes what might be the best case we’ve ever heard about why rotational forces play such a critical role in brain injuries; and we discuss how WaveCel compares to MIPS and Koroyd.
The Mt. Rushmore of “Poppy” Skis (Ep.153)
Previously on GEAR:30 we laid out our Mt. Rushmore of Ski Suspension. Now, we’re moving to the opposite end of the spectrum. We define some terms, talk about some of the characteristics that can help make a ski more poppy; and work our way through a bunch of skis. Check it out, and let us know what skis you think are most deserving.
Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 4: POC (Ep.152)
We talk with the Head of Product at POC, Oscar Huss, about headforms — the things they stick into helmets to mimic your head before smashing up helmets in testing; the numerous variables that need to be considered when setting up a way to test “safety”; the different considerations that go into designing kids helmets; and more.
Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 3: Pret (Ep.151)
We talk with the president & CEO of Pret Helmets about the “dart test” portion of the safety certification process; the prospects of implementing customizable helmet liners; why Pret places such an emphasis on ventilation; and more.
Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 2: Giro / Bell (Ep.150)
We talk about Giro & Bell’s approach to various helmet safety standards and certifications; the differences between a $65 helmet and a $260 helmet; the pros and cons of adding a chin bar to a full-face helmet, or a large visor to an enduro bike helmet; and more.
Current State of Helmet Tech, pt. 1: Sweet Protection (Ep.149)
In our new mini-series, we’re talking to key designers in the world of snowsports and bike helmets to stitch together a current state of helmet tech and helmet R&D. Today we talk with Ståle Møller about the pros & cons of the two different safety certifications; advances in materials; our understanding of head injuries; ventilation; the unique challenges of designing helmets for various activities; and how to know when you ought to replace your helmet.
A Very Deep Dive on Ski Boots, Part 6: Ski Boot Suspension (Ep.148)
Matt Manser is back to talk about bike crashes and ski-boot suspension.
Old Principles & New Challenges of Apparel Design (Ep.147)
We talk with Carl Moriarty (previously the Design Director at Arc’teryx, currently the Design Director at Rapha) about his career path in the outdoor industry; several principles of technical apparel design; the challenge of balancing high performance with sustainability; and how being clear on these things can help us evaluate advertising claims about new pieces.
Ski Touring Gear & Listener Questions (Ep.146)
Which tech bindings feel the most like alpine bindings? What “very light” skis offer the best suspension and damping? In this episode, Luke Koppa and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about a bunch of ski touring gear they’ve been reviewing and answer a number of your touring-related questions.
AT Boots, Bindings, & Skis w/ Sebastian Steinbach (Ep.145)
We talk with the owner of Blacksheep Sports Freeride Shop in Munich, Germany, about a bunch of ski touring gear, including the new Tecnica Cochise 130, Lange XT3 Tour Pro, Dalbello Quantum Free 130, Plum Summit 12 binding, Moment Wildcat Tour 108, and more.
Reviewer Reports: Powder Skis w/ Paul Forward (Ep.144)
Paul Forward and Jonathan Ellsworth talk about a number of the fat skis Paul’s been reviewing this season in Girdwood, Alaska.
The Mt. Rushmore of Ski Suspension (Ep.143)
We discuss one of the most important concepts in ski design: suspension. So what do we mean by “suspension”? Are terms like “plush” or “damp” synonyms, or are there important differences? And what are some of the best skis of all time when it comes to suspension? Let the debate begin.
Reviewer Reports: Fun Carvers & All-Mountain Skis (Ep.142)
Luke Koppa & Jonathan Ellsworth report on the new skis they’ve been reviewing from Black Crows, Salomon, Dynastar, Wagner, RMU, Moment, & more.
Hoji on the Dynafit Radical Pro; the Hoji Hole; & More (Ep.141)
Our patron saint of GEAR:30 is back on the show today, and we talked to Hoji about the new Dynafit Radical Pro; how it compares to the Hoji Free boot; the evolution of the “Hoji Hole” testing prototypes; and more.
Ski Boot Liners: Zipfit & Atomic Mimic Professional (Ep.140)
Sascha Anastas and Jonathan Ellsworth discuss a couple of new liners they’re reviewing: the Zipfit World Cup liner and the Atomic Mimic Professional liner.
MADE: Custom Technical Apparel (Ep.139)
MADE is a new company that’s setting out to make custom technical apparel. Their 3 co-founders are all veterans of the technical apparel and outdoor industries, and Luke Koppa and I talked to Cheryl LeBarr, Capri Philip, and Dustin Butcher about why they started MADE and how they are making this happen.
Shop Talk: Escape Route, Whistler & Squamish (Ep.138)
We talk to Escape Route director, James Retty, about the shop’s backcountry-only focus; the ski culture(s) of the Sea-to-Sky Corridor; elephant snot; the new Dynafit Radical Pro boot; the Fritschi Tecton; avy pack comparisons, and more.
Blister Summit Recap & New Ski Reviews (Ep.137)
Luke Koppa, Sascha Anastas, Kara Williard, and Jonathan Ellsworth offer a recap of our inaugural Blister Summit in Mt. Crested Butte, then discuss a number of skis from 4FRNT, Rossignol, Wagner Custom Skis, Dynastar, Icelantic Skis, WNDR Alpine, and Folsom Custom Skis that we spent time on at the Summit.
Shop Talk: Gear West, Long Lake, MN (Ep.136)
Mark “Osman” Osell and Jeff Perry from Gear West in Long Lake, Minnesota, to talk about the Minnesota ski scene; the Gear West campus; dropping cliffs in the Iowa backcountry; the fantastic bike culture of Minnesota, and more.
Reviewing the Reviewer: Dylan Wood (Ep.135)
In the hot seat: Blister mountain bike and ski reviewer, Dylan Wood.
The Blister Summit: What It Is, Why We Made It, & Why You Should Come (Ep.134)
Our inaugural Blister Summit launches in less than two weeks! So Kristin Sinnott, our Blister Summit director, and Jonathan talk about the origins of the idea, why we think it’s important; why we think you should come!; and we cover a ton of the details and logistics of this first-of-its-kind event in the snowsports world.
Shop Talk: Powder Hound, Girdwood, AK (Ep.133)
Eric Helmbrecht, owner of Powder Hound Ski & Bike Shop is back on the show to talk about this season in Girdwood; Fizz Nation; some of the gear that he and his staff are particularly high on this season; and, of course, we had to talk about Juras.